Within These Walls

Life After Dark: 20 (WTW Sequel)

(I have no excuse for the long wait, except to say, life. Just that four-letter word is enough to make me burrow into my blanket these days. Thanks for sticking around. Don't mind the typos - too tired to edit. And if you're one of those people who's been commenting along as you read each chapter, I've really enjoyed hearing from you and your words have inspired me to keep pushing myself. I'm now about 75% through and will need to make a decision soon about publishing on kindle. Stay tuned for more details about how you can support WTW/LAD, which will lead to the yet-to-be-named third book!)

Me: How did I get free from the Ancients?

Me: Hansel doesn't believe that the metamorphosis inhibitor serum worked. He thinks that I can break the hold they have over me. Is that true?

Hermes: You already know the answer.

Me: I don't remember the answer!

Hermes: And here I believed you were smarter than this.

Me: Fine, I'm dumb as rocks. Now will you tell me the truth?

Me: For God's sake, it shouldn't take you ten minutes to answer a question.

Hermes: Think of that boy. Davey.

Me: What about him?

Hermes: He knows more than any human should, doesn't he?

Me: Wait. You're right. How does he know about the Ancients and our powers? I thought we can't reveal the truth to regular humans?

Me: You mean I told him?

Hermes: That should have been your first clue that you're not completely under our control.

Me: It's really creepy when you say 'our'. I keep forgetting you're one of them.

Me: You still haven't told me WHY I'm different. Why can I break their control?

Hermes: When two forces meet, the weaker one bends to the stronger. The question you should be asking yourself is, which one are you?

Hermes sends us to Downtown Dallas, where we divide into two teams—surprisingly, Marcus sticks me with him and Janie—and scour the streets in search of a target we've never seen. Our best bet is back alleys and abandoned buildings and anywhere these Ancient beings are likely to hide out. I can't imagine that they like to hang out in crowded and public areas. Not if they look like the alien creature that Dr. Hansel described to us.

Hermes has gone silent, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Could it be he's has no desire to communicate with us until he has a good lead on where the Ancient might be? Or is he making us chase our tails for some sinister reason we can't comprehend?

Dallas is as loud and noisy as any metropolitan city, and I feel dwarfed by its glass-walled high rises as we amble along its sidewalks. It's overwhelming, the medley of rushing cars and harried pedestrians and confusing street signs, and it doesn't help that I'm still in shock after my startling conversation with Hansel. And of course, Hermes' Confucius-esque commentary.

Marcus and Janie are arguing about something, but I can't bring myself to focus. Too much going on inside. I'm not a Blank because of me. Because there's some part of me that's, what, stronger than the influence over my body and mind? Does that mean I have an ability? Or am I stuck somewhere in the middle between Blank and flipper, trading my sanity back and forth with them like it's a football and my brain is the playing field.

I worry my lip between my teeth. Control yourself. Maybe Sam Parker's warning was good for more than I ever realized. Maybe it wasn't an omen of how utterly incapable I am of letting myself go with the people I love, but a conditioned response that's allowing me, even now, to hold on to my identity with everything I've got.